Community Farm Institute

Sustainable Nantucket's Community Farm Institute (CFI) is designed to increase overall sustainable agricultural production and distribution on the island. SN is expanding the production of local food through our Land Use Partnership Initiative and Agricultural Apprenticeships, and providing classes, workshops and resources for grower education. We are expanding the market for, and access to local food through our Nantucket Grown™ Campaign ~ which includes our brand and magazine ~providing support for promotion and distribution. The Walter F. Ballinger Educational Community Farm at 168 Hummock Pond Road is where the Community Farm Institute is "growing new growers."

Due to the weather, today’s last Wednesday Farmers Market at the Farm is cancelled. Find us every Saturday through October 15 downtown 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Sustainable Nantucket Farmers & Artisans MarketCambridge & North Union Streets

We’re very excited about the new video Spindrift made about our organization. They have been supporting Sustainable Nantucket through their 1% for the Planet Partnership. Thank you to everyone who participated. Please like and share to help us spread the message about our programs.

Help Us Enhance the Front of the Farm & Cultivate the Back 6!

In spring of 2016, the Nantucket Islands Land Bank awarded Sustainable Nantucket an additional 6.5 acres at the back of the Walter F. Ballinger Educational Community Farm kicking off Phase II of the Community Farm! This acreage will be organically and sustainably farmed by our Beginning Farmers who have graduated to our Seasoned Farmers program! To provide our Beginning & Seasoned Farmers the best tools for success, in addition to the Back 6 project, we are enhancing the existing infrastructure of the Front of the Farm!

Front of the Farm Enhancement Infrastructure Includes:

Solar Wrap for our Propagation Greenhouse (sponsored)

A Solar-Heated, Hot Water Wash Station (sponsored)

An Eco-Friendly Outhouse (sponsored)

A Fruit Tree Garden (sponsored)

Outdoor Kitchen

The Outdoor Kitchen will be a place to teach cooking and preserving the harvest

The Outdoor Kitchen will include a stove, sink and refrigeration.

Mobile Farm Stand

The Mobile Farm Stand will be stationed in front of the farm and will be stocked with produce from our Beginning and Seasoned Farmers.

Outdoor Classroom

The Outdoor Classroom will be a space for workshops and classes, lectures and films.

The Outdoor Classroom will include:

A shade structure

Screen

Seating and a lectern

Tables and work-space for hands-on classes

Back 6 Seasoned Farm Acreage Infrastructure Includes:

Fencing

Water

Electricity

6 1/2-acre Seasoned Farmer Plots

Plots will be allotted to graduates of the incubator farm’s Beginning Farmer program.

We anticipate our first Beginning Farmer graduate to be cultivating in the Back 6 in summer 2017!

As each graduate moves onto the Seasoned Farm Acreage, we will accept new participants into the beginning farmer program, thereby exponentially increasing the number of farmers growing food on the island, every 3 to 5 years.

Bee Sanctuary

The Bee Sanctuary will:

Provide a home for bees on the farm

Provide a place for knowledgeable island beekeepers to keep their hives and provide hands-on beekeeping education

Help in the effort to preserve and support our bee populations, while the bees provide honey and enhance the pollination of our community farm crops.

Food Forest (sponsored)

The Food Forest will be planted and cultivated at the edges of the Back 6.

The Food Forest will:

Support biodiversity

Create habitat for wildlife & insects including pollinators

Build healthy soil

Provide a perennial buffer zone protecting sensitive areas

Provides fruit, nuts, and herbs for foraging and gleaning

To learn more about how to contribute to the campaign to grow the Walter F. Ballinger Educational Community Farm: Email: info@sustainablenantucket.org Call the Sustainable Nantucket Office at: (508) 228-3399